Wolf Pack Weekly: Pack sit 9 points back of playoff spot

STAFF REPORTS

Published 12:00 am, Monday, March 29, 2010

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Hartford's Dale Weise scored two goals and recorded two assists for a total of four points last week as the Wolf Pack won two of three games to stay alive in the playoff hunt. (Photo courtesy of Chris Rutsch / Hartford Wolf Pack) less

Hartford's Dale Weise scored two goals and recorded two assists for a total of four points last week as the Wolf Pack won two of three games to stay alive in the playoff hunt. (Photo courtesy of Chris Rutsch / ... more

Wolf Pack Weekly: Pack sit 9 points back of playoff spot

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The Wolf Pack (31-31-6-5, 73 pts.) won two of their three games this past week, to stay alive in the Eastern-Conference playoff hunt. The Pack posted third-period, home-ice comebacks both Friday night against Adirondack, a 3-2 shootout victory, and Saturday night vs. Bridgeport, in a 4-3 win. They were unable to fashion a third consecutive revival Sunday in Portland, though, and lost a 3-2 decision to the Pirates. Dale Weise (two goals and two assists) and Kris Newbury (four assists) set the pace offensively for the Wolf Pack during the week, with four points apiece.

This week

Standing nine points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Wolf Pack jump back into action Wednesday night at the XL Center against the first-place Worcester Sharks (7 p.m. faceoff), in a game that was originally scheduled for the following night. The Wolf Pack then host Lowell Friday (7 p.m.), before traveling to Springfield to meet the Falcons Saturday (7 p.m.).

Wednesday vs. Worcester

at the XL Center, 7 P.M.

This game was moved from its originally-scheduled Thursday date.

The Wolf Pack are 4-1-0-0 in five games this year against the Atlantic Division-leading Sharks, and in the one game they lost, a 6-4 defeat in the teams' last meeting March 10 in Worcester, they led 3-2 going into the third period. The Pack have won both of their previous home games vs. the Sharks, 4-3 on Oct. 25 and 4-2 on Feb. 20.

At 46-22-2-3 for 97 points, Worcester has a three-point lead on second-place Portland in the Atlantic. The Sharks have won nine of their last 11 games.

Worcester goaltender Alex Stalock's 37 wins (37-16-2, 2.63, 90.8, 3 SHO) are the most ever by a rookie backstop in the AHL, but Stalock is 0-3-0 with 13 goals-against on 83 shots (4.35, 84.3) on the year against the Wolf Pack.

The Devils (36-28-4-6, 82 pts.) enter the week tied with Bridgeport for fourth place in the Atlantic Division, which is the division's last guaranteed playoff spot, after going 1-2-0-1 in their last four games and 4-6-0-2 in their last 12.

This game completes an eight-game season series between the Wolf Pack and Lowell. The Pack are 4-3-0-0 in the first seven games of the series, and 2-1-0 at the XL Center.

Second-year forward Michael Swift (21-28-49 in 70 GP) is on a six-game point-scoring streak for the Devils (7-3-10), with goals in five of those games, and has climbed to within three points of team scoring leader Ben Walter (20-32-52 in 72 GP).

The Falcons remain last overall in the AHL with a record of 24-36-11-4 for 63 points, nine points behind seventh-place Providence in the Atlantic.

19-year-old Jordan Eberle, a first-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 2008, had a goal and two assists in the last clash between the Wolf Pack and Falcons, a 4-3 Springfield win March 20, and has rolled up three goals and five assists for eight points in six games since joining the Falcons out of the Western Hockey League.

The Wolf Pack are 4-2-2-0 in eight previous meetings with the Falcons this season, but Springfield has won three of the last four. This is the last of five Wolf Pack visits to Springfield, where the Pack are 2-1-1-0 on the year.